Dolly Shot

A dolly shot is a filmmaking camera technique in which the camera smoothly moves toward, away from, or alongside a subject on a wheeled platform called a dolly, often running on tracks or wheels to ensure steady motion; because the camera itself moves rather than merely zooming, the perspective and depth of the scene naturally change, with foreground and background objects shifting relative to one another to create a more immersive visual effect, and this technique is commonly employed to follow characters, reveal new elements, or build tension and drama—such as when a camera gradually approaches a character during an emotional moment or travels beside actors as they walk through a setting—making scenes feel more cinematic and visually engaging across film, television, and online video productions, including those made for platforms like YouTube.